The Novak Dolls

Accidents in the Night

Two years later....

It had been a quiet night in the Novak House, almost suspiciously so. Michael and Lucifer, despite being in their first year of teenagerhood, hadn't tried to kill each other in hours. Anna and Balthazar weren't at each other's throats, Gabriel hadn't pranked anyone, and Castiel had barely spoken three words all day.

Chuck thought it might've had something to do with the room changes.

Previously, Michael, Lucifer, and Balthazar had shared a room. Castiel and Gabriel had another, and Anna and Hannha shared the third. But Lucifer and Michael fought so much that Chuck had decided to switch things around.

He cleaned out the basement and put up a couple walls and turned the space into two bedrooms. Lucifer had immediately claimed the bigger one, and no one had any objections to confining Satan to the basement. 

Chuck had wanted to put Balthazar in the other room, seeing as Michael had basically kicked his brother out of their room, demanding his own space, but it hadn't quite worked that way. Instead Anna had taken the other room, and Balthazar dumped his stuff in Hannah's room and proceeded to alternate sleeping in everyone's bedroom. He was a nomad, Balthazar declared, and it was about time he started living like one. 

Some people thought it was weird that Chuck let his 12 year old son share a room with his 8 year old daughter, but Hannah and Balthazar were best friends, unlike Anna and Hannah had been, so Chuck didn't really care what anyone else said. If it kept the peace in his house, then it worked.

And as all the kids retreated to their rooms, Chuck sat in the kitchen, thinking he might actually get a peaceful night to himself.

Never. Why would he ever get a calm night? 

But it wasn't screaming children that interrupted him this time. It was Castiel, who trudged down the stairs and into the kitchen, looking a bit disappointed and worried.

"Hey Cassie," Chuck smiled at him. Castiel attempted to smile back, but it was strained.

"Hi."

"What's wrong?" 

"Nothing."

"You're a horrible liar." Cas sighed and sat down.

"It's Charlie." Chuck sat down, now concerned. Charlie was Cas's best friend; his really only friend. If they were fighting...

"What happened?"

"She's at a sleepover party at Dorothy's tonight, and she's never been to Dorothy's house before, and she seemed really nervous about going, and my best friend sense keeps telling me she's not having a good time, so I feel bad."

"Well maybe your best friend senses are wrong, and she's having a great time," Chuck insisted.

"No. My Charlie sense is NEVER wrong."

"Well, if you were so nervous about her, why didn't you go to the party with her?"

"I wasn't invited." Chuck frowned.

"Why not?" Cas sighed.

"It's a GIRLS ONLY party. Dorothy's mom won't let boys stay over." Chuck fought the urge to roll his eyes. He never understood the concept of girls or boys only parties. The kids were barely nine. What did Dorothy's mom REALLY think was gonna happen?

That was why he let his kids have sleepovers with whoever they wanted. Charlie had slept over more times than he could count. She loved staying at their house.

"I'm sure Charlie will be fine," Chuck insisted. "She's tough."

"I guess." Cas frowned, and Chuck got the feeling that he hadn't really helped at all, but what was he supposed to do?